


A Trip Is Not A Fall

by dyingpoet



Category: The Outsiders - All Media Types
Genre: Everyone Is Gay, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Marijuana, Recreational Drug Use, Tenderness, theyre all stoners bc fuck u i said so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:47:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22395778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dyingpoet/pseuds/dyingpoet
Summary: Steve makes brownies. Really, really good brownies.
Relationships: Johnny Cade/Dallas Winston, Sodapop Curtis/Steve Randle
Comments: 15
Kudos: 140





	A Trip Is Not A Fall

**Author's Note:**

> i got a t o n of prompts on tumblr for soft jally and stevepop,, also writing high characters is fun so ayyyy

“Give this to Soda Can when ya see him next, ‘kay?”

A hand was shoving a paper bag into Johnny’s pocket before he could so much as take a step back, and Curly Shepard barely gave him as much as a second glance before he was walking back down the hallway, wolf-whistling some middle class girl before blending back into the crowd. 

“Watch it, Johnny.” Steve walked up and leaned on the locker’s in front of him, giving a pointed look over Johnny’s head as he did. When he turned around a solid weight smacked him in the chest and he stumbled back into Steve.

“Gosh Two-bit, lay off would ya?” Johnny was half laughing as the older greaser was basically tackling him after his failed attempt at sneaking up. “Get  _ off _ \- you itchin’ to try out for the football team? Jesus.”

Two-bit finally pushed himself up off Johnny, laughing so hard he’d gone quiet and Johnny shared a look with Steve that ended with an eye roll before he managed to calm down. Once he did he clapped a hand on Johnny’s shoulder and grinned.

“Kid, if I was tryna get on some kinda team don’tcha think I’d find myself a practice dummy that ain’t gonna down when a stiff breeze comes through-”

Steve reached around Johnny and smacked Two-bit upside the head at the same time Johnny knocked his shoulder. He figured he might have lit up during the lunch break or something with the mood he was in, although it was hard to tell with Two-bit sometimes. 

“Alright, alright. Ali, Liston, let’s split ‘fore y’all get recruited for the boxin’ team.” Two-bit dodged another shot from Steve and shouldered past both of them, leaving Steve to fall into step beside Johnny as they made their way out. 

“Pony got track practice today?”

Steve nodded. “Yeah, said he scored a ride home after. Hey, what Curly want with ya in the hall?”

He’d actually forgotten for a minute about Curly, getting dragged down by someone twice your size could do that to a guy. Pulling the bag from his pocket, he shoved it at Steve’s chest quickly. There wasn’t much Curly could give anybody that lay within the law.

“Said to give that ta Soda next time I saw ‘im, didn’t get to see what is was ‘fore I got jumped by that dumb hood.” Johnny raised his voice at the last bit, getting Two-bit to turn his head and bound over from where he’d bummed a cigarette off somebody or another.

“I’m sorry, did I just hear you right, Johnny Cade?” Two-bit cocked an eyebrow before blowing smoke in the younger’s face. He was walking backwards and stopped suddenly, Johnny colliding with his chest and barking out a laugh as he was dragged into a headlock. “You really oughta start payin’ attention in gym class, kid, ‘cause this ain’t even  _ fun  _ no more.”

“Leave the kid alone, will ya?”

Two-bit loosened up his grip enough for Johnny to squirm out of it and gave Steve a mock glare while Johnny caught his breath. “I happen to be giving that kid a first class education in the way’a self defense, right John?”

Johnny was still catching his breath, and settled for a rather rude hand gesture instead of answering. Two-bit laughed and ran off at the mouth a while longer before Steve broke and snapped at him to kiss off while he still had the chance. 

It was hard to tell with Steve if he was real mad or not, so Johnny kept his trap shut for a while after Two-bit made his own way home. Steve broke the silence first.

“You busy tonight?”

Johnny relaxed at that, shaking his head and turning to look up at Steve. “Nope. Shoot, I thought you were fixin’ ta take a shot at me or somethin’, way you rounded on Two like that.”

Steve grinned at that and reached over to ruffle Johnny’s hair. “Nah, I snapped at ‘im ‘cause we were comin’ up on a cop car and I didn’t need nobody smarting off to the fuzz right now.”

“Why’s that?”

He caught the bag Steve tossed him and looked inside, quirking a smile a second later. “Damn, alright, y’all turning on tonight?”

“Yup, you wanna tag along? My old man’s out on’a job, my place’s open to crash.” 

Johnny shifted a little on his feet. Everybody found out about Steve and Soda about a year ago, it didn’t come as much of a surprise if he was being honest, and he wasn’t quite sure he felt like third wheeling with them when they were stoned. If stuff got weird he couldn’t exactly stumble around on the street half crocked. 

“Yeah I dunno, man, maybe,” Johnny offered, shrugging. “Last time I lit a number I was with Dal-”

“Bring him along then, I don’t mind none.” They both came to a stop at Steve’s street and Johnny shrugged again. “Hey, no sweat if you don’t wanna, I just know if I don’t bring nobody else along Soda’s gonna rip it too much he’ll get sick. See if Dally’ll come with ya, lord knows he bums enough off me anyway.”

“Yeah I’ll ask, see ya.”

“Later, kid.” Steve knocked his head lightly and walked off, leaving Johnny standing off to the side of the road.

After a minute he started off away from his house toward Buck’s. It couldn’t hurt to  _ ask  _ the guy. He probably wouldn’t even want to go.

* * *

“God _ damn _ , I never thought I’d be sayin’ this, but thank the  _ lord  _ for Curly Shepard.”

“Curly’s own mama ain’t never said that about him - _ watch it _ , Christ.” Johnny winced as he was flung against the passenger door, the car shaking as it went back to having four wheels on the ground like god intended. 

Dallas laughed his laugh that came out more like a growl and punched the accelerator anyway. “Ah can it, I didn’t pull a blade on the DMV lady to get my license just to have somebody gripe at me to drive slow.” He skidded into Steve’s driveway so hard Johnny practically tumbled out of the car. Dallas rolled his eyes and Johnny shoved at his shoulder weakly. 

“Wonder you ya pulled a blade on to get the damn car in the first place,” Johnny mumbled, getting a kick to the back of the knee as he did. 

“Wanna speak up, huh? Wise ass.” Dallas was in a good mood though, and didn’t put any heat behind the words, instead they ended up busting through Steve’s door in a shoving match. Dallas got a good shot in and Johnny stumbled back into somebody’s chest.

“Hello to you too, Johnny.” Soda ruffled Johnny’s hair and shoved him forward. “Thanks for gettin’ the pot from Curly, I couldn’t exactly have ‘im slip it to Pony, y’know?”

“No sweat.” Johnny kicked off his shoes and took a deep breath, frowning as he did. “Y’all cookin’ something?”

The oven banged shut in the kitchen and Steve popped his head out the door. “Brownies.”

Dallas was at his side faster than Johnny could blink. “You mean brownies, or _ brownies _ brownies?”

“What’re you, fuckin’ eight years old?  _ Brownies  _ brownies, Jesus Christ.” Steve rolled his eyes and Dallas propped both elbows up on Johnny’s shoulder, chin resting on his head. “And if y’all want any quit the Ward ‘n June Cleaver act and come help me.”

Johnny felt his face heat up while Dallas moved to get an arm around his shoulder and drag him into the kitchen after Steve. Nothing like that ever got to Dallas coming from Soda or Steve anymore, guess he figured it wasn’t too much of an insult coming from them. Anyone else though, they’d be seeing out of one eye for a week. 

“That’s real cute comin’ from the guy hunched over a stove. Hey, get a nice skirt and some lace and you’ll get the whole ‘I Love Lucy’ bag down-”

A wooden spoon whizzed passed Dallas’ head and hit the wall. Steve looked like he was making to look more ticked off than he really was, and Johnny looked between the two of them for a stiff second before Dallas raised both hands and smirked. 

“Well color me gone, then. Jeez, whatever happened to  _ hospitality _ ,” Dallas’ voice trailed off as he left the kitchen, and Johnny moved over next to Steve.

“Ain’t never had one of these before, any good?” 

Steam wafted up as Steve cut into the pan. “Yeah, hits ya way harder then smoking it does, think it’s somethin’ about gettin’ inta yer blood faster? I dunno, it’s a good high though, I’ve done them a few times.”

“Solid.” Johnny pulled down a plate and held it as Steve stared cutting out the pieces and putting them on. For some reason Johnny expected them to smell different, or look different, but they seemed pretty okay. “How many can ya eat in one go?”

“These ain’t that strong, compared to most, so ya can prob’ly just start with one and then see how ya feel once it takes.”

Soda and Dallas were splayed out on the couch by the time Johnny and Steve cleaned up, and both looked up as they walked in and Johnny set the plate on the table. “Aw, thanks buddy, wanna say grace too?”

“Big talk for a guy who ain’t fronted no money for this,” Steve snapped, expression changing in a split second when Soda grabbed him by the forearm and tugged him next to him on the couch. “And I swear ta god, you slow down this time? I don’t got no money for a double ambulance if you O-D on my couch.”

“Double?”

“One for you and one for me once Superman catches wind and busts my head in.” Steve grinned once Soda barked out a laugh. 

A hand tugged Johnny off the couch and onto the floor. “Steer clear of the lovebirds, Johnny.” Dallas passed Johnny a brownie, looking about halfway through his own. Chewing, he nodded at Soda and Steve. “Give it an hour, tops, ‘fore they’re ripped and run off to the bedroom.”

“I give it half.”

Steve kicked lightly at Johnny’s shoulder and snagged a brownie for him and Soda. “I’d bet two-to-one on the same thing with you two.”

Soda let out a low whistle and Dallas whipped a stray pillow in his direction. “If you had any scratch to put up I’da robbed you already,  _ mona _ .”

Steve looked like he was about to crack back when Soda started in on his second brownie and he tried to wrestle it away from him. 

“Turn up the T.V., will ya?” Dallas asked, and Johnny fought back a smile at how bloodshot his eyes already were. Shoot, his own here probably worse. “And grab another one for both of us.”

Johnny nodded and they both laid back and went through another one. Soda and Steve were laughing about something or another on the couch, and Johnny felt his head start to buzz. He should’ve waited after the first one a little longer. Blinking felt strange.

“Told ya they’d split out.”

Dallas was hovering above Johnny, who must’ve moved onto the floor at one point but he wasn’t sure when. The older’s hair was catching the light of the T.V. and Johnny hummed before shutting his eyes. “What?”

There was a snort and Johnny felt himself get lifted up underneath the arms and half-dragged up onto the couch. “Soda ‘n Steve ran off to the bedroom. Man, you’re gone, huh?”

“Little.”

The couch dipped next to him and Dallas’ side was pressed against his. “You good enough for a shotgun?”

Johnny opened his eyes and focused them on Dallas, his edges were blurred. “Shotgun?”

“Yeah, swiped a jay from Buck’s room ‘fore I left, just in case,” Dallas drawled, and Johnny giggled, nodding as Dallas pulled a joint out of his pocket. “I oughta do the lightin’, not sure you’d get much but you’re own fingers, state you’re in.”

“Back off, I’m doin’ just fine.” Johnny stared as Dallas lit the end of the joint and nodded to him. 

Leaning in, he took the other end between his lips and inhaled deep as Dallas blew out. It burnt in the back of his throat and Johnny remembered how different breathing felt when he was stoned. 

Dallas was staring at him when he pulled back, and Johnny grinned and exhaled into his face, barking out a laugh when the other blinked hard. Normally he would have smacked Johnny, playfully but still, for something like that, but Dallas was softer whenever he smoked, and he just took the joint from Johnny’s finger and slung an arm across his neck. 

“Better cut you off, look’s like you took in the fuckin’ devil with you’re eyes all like that.” Dallas flipped the joint and took a long drag. “Wanna go change the T.V.? I’m sick of this Sullivan crap.”

“You go,” Johnny whined, stretching out so his head was up against Dallas’ shoulder and his knees were pulled up against his chest. “I ain’t even watching it.”

“Neither am I.”

They both stared at the T.V. for a few more seconds before Johnny started up laughing and Dallas picked it up too. After a minute or so Johnny slumped to lay more or less on Dallas’ lap while he hiccuped into the older’s shirt. Dallas had slid down so his shoulder blades were down on the couch cushions, and he clawed at Johnny’s arm to drag him up onto his chest.

“You sound like a doll,  _ gigglin’  _ and shit - Jesus Johnny cut that out.” He leaned forward to slap Johnny’s hand away when he went to reach for another brownie off the plate.

Johnny hiccuped again despite himself and went to reach again, Dallas catching his wrist in a firm grip and dragging him back again. “I’m  _ fine _ , Dally, c’mon.”

“Nah, little weed fiend over here,” Dallas said, settling his arm across Johnny’s sternum and pushing down like a weight. There was a spark in his eye when Johnny grinned up at him, head half hanging off his chest onto the couch. “What’s so funny, huh?”

“You,” Johnny replied, not caring all that much that he did. “You start sayin’ shit all weird when you’re stoned, s’funny.”

Dallas shifted so that he was sitting up more and Johnny was laid out against his lap. “Yeah? Do I say shit weird? How ‘bout sayin’ you’re a _ mezza sega _ , that funny?”

“Yep, ‘cause I dunno what the hell that even means-”

He was still laughing when Dallas leaned down and broke it off. Johnny wasn’t too ready though, and their teeth smacked together audibly and Dallas cursed softly and pulled back from the kiss. “Ah, you’re too stoned for this, you’re gonna make yourself sick if you keep laughin’ like that.”

Dallas was smiling in that lazy way he only did when he was drunk or stoned, hell, both sometimes, and Johnny propped himself up on his elbows. “Wanna take another pass at it?”

“Shut it, tato, gettin’ cocky.” 

It didn’t seem like he minded all that much, and about a minute later they’d ended up with Johnny sat on Dallas’ hips, halfway through getting something on his neck he’d have to pop his collar up over when Soda and Steve walked in, hanging off each other.

They both stopped dead, grinning like idiots when Johnny took a second to process they were even there before going red and starting to clamber off Dallas. Much to his surprise, the older just held onto his hips and kept him steady before turning to look at Steve and Soda. 

“Wanna take a picture? Y’all done doin’ it  _ a pecorina  _ in there?”

Soda looked half out of his mind, and he cursed Dallas out lazily and flopped down next to the two of them anyway, ignoring a glare from Dallas and Johnny’s burning face. 

After Steve sat down and it became pretty damn clear they weren’t going anywhere, Dallas let out a sigh and winked at Johnny, shoving his shoulder so he fell to the side, laying half on Soda and half on Dallas. Normally he’d tense up, but he was starting to nod off and the room still wasn’t completely in focus. 

“Thanks for the grass, Steve,” Johnny said after a minute through a yawn. There wasn’t a response until Dallas tapped his shin and Johnny sat up a little. 

“They’re both out cold.”

“Oh, alright, could you…?” Dallas took Johnny’s hand and pulled him up off Soda so he was on his other side. The T.V was still on and Johnny squinted at it blearily as he curled up, not protesting when Dallas pulled him up against his side. “Dal?”

“Yeah?”

“You wanna steal the rest of those brownies tomorrow?”

He felt Dallas just barely laugh, feeling it more from his chest than hearing it, and there was the weight of his chin moving to rest on the top of Johnny’s head, like before. “Atta boy, I got you thinkin’ like me now. Course we’re gonna.”

It felt like there were weights on his eyelids, and for a second Johnny sort of felt like what he imagined sitting in the ocean would be like, sort of rocking. It was probably the weed, coming down messed with his head sometimes, but it felt nice, safe.

“G’night, Dal.”

He was out before the other even had the chance to reply. And he dreamed about the ocean, it reminded him of Dallas. Safe. 

**Author's Note:**

> hope?? this didnt suck?? it took me like 5hrs for some reason??
> 
> please consider dropping kudos/comments below bc praise is the only thing keeping me going bros


End file.
